‘Operation Petrol’ stops criminals in their tracks

Operation Petrol saw its sixth community Multi-Agency Vehicle Exercise (MAVE) today (20th July).

MAVEs are a joint agency tactic to deny criminals the use of the road.

A range of partners have taken part including Driver Vehicle Standards Agency, West Midlands Police, Immigration, Trading Standards, HM Warrants Officers and Solihull Council Licensing.

So far MAVEs have been held at the NEC, Chester Road, Castle Bromwich, Shirley and today’s operation in Olton.

Drivers are pulled into a check point for a variety of reasons including vehicle defects, speeding, taxi checks and intelligence reports – all agencies ensure the driver and vehicle are legal and deal with any issues that are presented.

At one location 13 vehicles were seized – either uninsured or un-roadworthy – and at another, Warrants Officers issued over £1,500 of on the spot fines.

Officers have arrested offenders who are wanted in connection with criminal proceedings and removed those illegally in the country.

PC Luke Prescott from Solihull Police Partnership Team, said “MAVEs are now an established way of targeting offenders in partnership.

“Together agencies are able to tackle joint priorities which effect the communities they serve.”

Today’s operation in Olton resulted in:

* £950 of speeding fines issued to drivers.

* £500 on the spot fines recovered by Warrant Officers, which people have to pay on the spot or they get arrested.

* Over £200 of fines issued to people not wearing their seat belts.

* There were thorough checks on all vehicles – red diesel checks for Trading Standards, license checks for DVSA and Immigration checks.

* Trading Standards also undertook weights and measures checks at local forecourts to stop crime being displaced by police.

A spokesperson for the Solihull Police Partnerships Team, said: “Having a large number of partners in areas suffering crime deters offences. There was no petrol theft in our area today.

“One youth decided to abuse officers making off into their road block – bad luck – he was crying when caught, not so shouty inside our van.

“By putting agencies into a selected area we fight crime, gather intelligence, meet joint partner priorities. It’s the future.

“Communities complain to us repeatedly about speeding – today’s Operation Petrol aims to tackle those concerns!”

Read more: http://www.solihullgetinvolved.co.uk/2016/07/20/solihull-summer-operation-stops-criminals-tracks/